"You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm .." (Isaiah 25:4a) We got up a little after 03:00 am and drove down to Port Charlotte to bring some small help to those who are suffering greatly from the impact of the storm Charley. We borrowed coolers from some friends here in town, and loaded up our car with ice. It took us about 4.5 hours to drive down there. (Galina says 5, but I didn't count the McDonald's stop) Anyway, with the long drive there and five hours of non-stop labor, and then the long drive back, you'd think we would be tired. But, God gave us some kind of extra energy. Thank you for the prayers. Disaster Relief Churches of Christ, Inc. of Nashville, TN is a benevolent ministry of cooperating churches. They had several large trailers of relief supplies parked in the parking lot at the Venice Church of Christ. They are distributing to the needy in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Acadia and other impacted areas from this location in smaller trucks. Besides the Churches of Christ, many other religious groups, individuals and relief agencies are involved in this task. We drove to the Port Charlotte Church of Christ. Their neighborhood and town were in the storms' path. Many homes close to the church were destroyed or left uninhabitable. Many families are just driving around looking for some place where they can sit down for a while and have some rest and something to eat and drink. The church there opened up its doors to the public in a most loving way. They had no power, but "Good Samaritans" came from at least seventeen different states. Some brought portable generators, and made it possible to have a few lights on in the church. The church set up their fellowship building to serve hot meals from 11:30 - 7:30. There were people from all different economic situations. Some families with several kids showed up hungry, and some families in expensive Eurepean cars also came hungry. When you have no refrigeration, and all supermarkets are closed for the same reason, all people are the same. Never take ice or water for granted again! When we arrived, Galina was immediately put to work handing out food boxes to the hungry. And if it was a family with children, giving them supplies for infants and children. They even had boxes of pet food! I was outside helping to pick up limbs and seemingly endless debris, setting up a tent, and unloading trucks of newly arriving food and other donated items. Why does it take such a great disaster to bring God's people together? Wouldn`t it be wonderful if we showed our love all the time The source of true loving human kindness is not found within man without a personal knowledge of God. Jesus plainly teaches us that "no one is good except God alone." (Luke 18:19) The very essence of God is love. "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." Unbelievers, skeptics, and those who have wandered from the love of God, will be drawn to God whenever they see Christians demonstrating that love is the supreme motivation for our lives. When God is living within us we are truly prepared for greater service. The greatest good works that are being done in this world today are being done because someone has a heart of love. Why not make a choice for a life of love today? This true love of God is not self-serving, but rather the exact opposite. You can discover greater joy in all aspects of your life today by turning your heart to Jesus Christ as Lord. "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God." 1 John 4:15 NIV) "We love because he first loved us." (4:19) Do you know that you can have a life of inexpressable joy by giving your heart to Jesus Christ? Please get in touch with me if you would like to learn more about becoming a follower of Christ.
You are invited to attend the services of the Church of Christ at the corner of 3rd and E Streets. Write me with any questions or comments David Binkley, Sr., P.O. Box 186, Cedar Key, FL 32625 or E-mail at dgbinkley@aol.com. You may also request to receive the daily WORD OF THE DAY by e-mail. Check out our web site at http://www.cedarkeychurchofchrist.com. | 